1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to training simulators for training users to operate equipment that is manipulated via handgrips, and more particularly to a “hands on” trainer provisioned with the handgrips of the equipment to provide training with the proper “fit”. The “hands on” trainer may be provisioned with different handgrips associated with different equipment via a universal interface.
2. Description of the Related Art
Certain types of military, law enforcement and commercial equipment are manipulated at least in part via tactical handgrips. The tactical handgrips allow the user to change the viewpoint of and operate the equipment. The equipment may be characterized by its “form, fit and function”. The tactical handgrips adapted for a piece of equipment, and particularly the placement, feel, and spacing of all switches, buttons, and triggers on the hand-grips define the equipment's “fit”. The equipment's assembled shape and structure (e.g. size, weight, and shape of assembled components) define its “form”. The actions for which the equipment is specially fitted or for which the equipment exists define its “function”.
Users may be trained to operate the equipment by training on real equipment or on a training simulator. In the latter case, the training simulator generates a video signal to simulate the use of the equipment in a training scenario. The user may interact with the video signal via a mock-up that closely replicates the actual equipment, in which case the training simulator and mock-up simulate the equipment function and provide the fit and form. Mock-ups are provided with special purpose software for that particular piece of equipment to train a single user on the basic skills associated with the use of that piece of equipment. Alternately, the user may interact with the video signal in a general purpose computing environment e.g. a computer display and keyboard/gamepad, in which case the training simulator only simulates the equipment function and provides neither the fit nor form. This type of interactive environment supports a more general purpose simulation that can be configured for multiple users and to support the simulation of different pieces of equipment.
As shown in FIG. 1, a tactical Javelin Missile System 10 comprises a Command Launch Unit (CLU) 12 and a missile 14 (inside a launch tube). The system is controlled through CLU tactical handgrips 16, which feature an assortment of buttons, triggers, and switches. The gunner may change the system viewpoint using the tactical handgrips e.g. turning his body while holding the handgrips. The gunner views his surrounding environment through an eye-piece 18, which includes both a normal optical sensor and an advanced thermal sensor. The optical sensors operates similar to binoculars, the gunner is directly viewing the environment through the use of optical lenses. The thermal sensor operates similar to a digital camera. The sensor captures thermal information, processes it, and then displays a thermal image to the gunner on a digital screen that is viewed through the eyepiece. The eye-piece includes a set of optical lenses that magnify and focus the direct visible light and displayed thermal imagery. The gunner manipulates the buttons, triggers and switches on the tactical handgrips in response to his environment to fire the missile, hence perform the “function” of the missile.
While the gunner is operating the Javelin Missile System, the gunner is viewing his environment through the CLU eyepiece and therefore cannot view the handgrips. Thus, an important part of a gunner's training on the Javelin is learning the “fit” of the weapon system; the layout of the buttons, triggers and switches on the handgrips, so that he can make use of trained muscle memory and quickly operate the system.
To operate the Javelin Missile System, the gunner must rest the missile on his shoulder and aim the missile by turning his body and the missile. Thus, another important part of a gunner's training on the Javelin is learning the “form” of the weapon system; the size, shape and weight of the assembled components that define the system's assembled shape and structure. The Javelin Missile System has an assembled shape and structure defined primarily by the missile tube attached to the CLU and an overall weight of approximately 50 pounds. As shown in FIG. 2, a Javelin Basic Skills Trainer (BST) 20 is used to train gunners on the basic skills of the Javelin Weapon System. The Javelin BST is “single-player” and comes with a pre-defined set of scenarios for the user to practice on. The Javelin Basic Skills Trainer (BST) 20 comprises a simulation command launch unit (SCLU) 22, a missile simulation round (MSR) 24 and a host computer 26 that hosts an interactive training simulator. The SCLU is connected to the host computer through a custom, military-grade cable 28 that allows for video to be sent to the SCLU and for data to be passed back and forth to simulate the Javelin “function”. The SCLU and MSR are accurate, physical mock-ups of the real Javelin Weapon System that closely mimic both the Javelin's “fit” through the placement, feel, and spacing of all switches, buttons, and triggers on the CLU hand-grips and “form” through the size, weight of approximately 50 pounds, and feel of the Missile and the CLU that replicate the tactical Javelin. Although still expensive, the BST costs much less than a CLU and live missile. The SCLU replaces the optical and thermal sensors of the tactical CLU with a small computer monitor that receives a video image from the attached computer. The SCLU eyepiece 30 includes a set of optical lenses that magnify the small monitor and allows a gunner to view the imagery being sent by the computer. The handgrips are the same handgrips as used in the real system and are directly connected to the shell of the SCLU. They are hardwired to a microcontroller that resides within the SCLU and are not removable. A set of motion sensors inside the SCLU detects motion to generate signals of a changing viewpoint within the simulation. The microcontroller converts the button pushes and viewpoint signals to binary data that is transmitted through cable 28 to the interactive training simulator.
The BST is used for training users on the basic skills of the Javelin Weapon System. The interactive training simulator is “single-player” and comes with a pre-defined set of scenarios for the user to practice on. The interactive training simulator only contains a single Environment Simulator which represents a single weapon system such as the Javelin Weapon System. This allows the BST to mimic the “function” of the real Javelin Weapon System. By accurately representing the Form, Fit, and Function of the real system, the BST provides a close representation of the single weapon system it is designed for.
As shown in FIG. 3, in a general purpose computing environment one or more interactive training simulators 40 can be used to train soldiers 42 to operate different weapon systems in a variety of single and multiuser scenarios. The interactive training simulator software may be hosted on each simulator 40 or on a server. The human interface to the simulation environment for each of the weapon systems is a direct-view computer display 44 (no eyepiece) to view the simulation video signal and an input device 46 such as a mouse and keyboard, joystick or gamepad that facilitates user interaction with the simulation. Such simulators are used for unit training and mission rehearsal and allow multiple users to train together within the same interactive simulator. This type of training simulator is much more flexible and cost effective than the BST and provides numerous Environment Simulators, each of which can represent different weapon systems. This allows the user to train on varying weapon systems in a wide variety of customizable scenarios. An Environment Simulator for the Javelin Weapon System is also included, and can be designed to a level of fidelity needed to represent the function of the real system.
The interative training simulators 40 provide neither form nor fit of the weapon interface. The keyboard/mouse, joystick or gamepad do not provide the “fit” of the tactical handgrips. The soldiers seated at a computer display do not experience the “form” of the Javelin Missile System, its cumbersome size and shape and weight. However, software plug-ins can be added to the training simulators that would allow a BST to communicate with the weapon Environment Simulator, bringing the “form and fit” of the weapon system back into the training environment. The plug-in resides with the interactive training simulator on the host computer and translates binary data output by the BST's microcontroller into button pushes and viewpoint data to provide connectivity to the Environment Simulator.